1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle, in particular a device for vertically positioning a tool box in a truck bed of a truck.
2. Description of the Related Art
A container, such as a tool box, is a common accessory for a vehicle, particularly trucks with open truck beds. Conventional tool boxes are provided inside the truck bed and/or rest on the top surfaces of the side of the truck bed. Access is typically from the top side of the tool box. Since many conventional tool boxes are mounted on top surfaces of the sides of the truck bed, the rear view of the driver is obstructed by the tool box. Some conventional tool boxes rest on the bottom surface of the truck bed which reduces the cargo capacity of the truck.
Especially with newer trucks, the sides of the truck bed are high and the inside and outside walls of the truck bed are several inches apart. Thus, it is difficult if not impossible to access the top side of a conventional tool box from the side of the truck. In order to access the tool box, a user has to get in the back of the truck or lean against the side of the truck. When removing heavy items from the conventional tool box, there is a great risk of injury to the user, particularly back injury. Also, a user may easily damage the paint job of the truck by leaning against the truck. A user may get their clothes dirty by leaning against a dirty truck. Climbing into the back of the truck can be dangerous, especially when there is snow or rain and the back of the truck is slippery. A conventional tool box leaves very little clearance between the bottom of the box and the bed of the truck, cutting off valuable cargo space and making it difficult to haul long loads, i.e. lumber, ladders and the like.
Various devices have been proposed for vertically positioning containers within vehicles, but the devices are associated with lightweight applications, such as typewriters and bar tables. None of these devices teach or suggest modifying the devices for use in positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,746, issued Jul. 15, 1955 to J. P. Hartnett discloses a typewriter platform raised and lowered by the rotation of screws. French Patent No. 2,560,019, issued Aug. 30, 1985 to Pavlicevic discloses a retractable bar table where the table is raised and lowered by means of an endless screw, a transmission belt and a motor. Neither Hartnett nor Pavlicevic teaches or suggests using their respective devices for positioning a container, such as a tool box, in a cargo space, such as a truck bed, of a vehicle, such as a truck. Further, nothing in Hartnett or Pavlicevic teaches or discloses a gear which is in rotating engagement with a fixed screw in order to raise or lower the platform or table.
Other devices have been proposed for positioning tool boxes in trucks; however, vertical adjustment of the container, if proposed, is accomplished with adjustable brackets which must be disconnected and reconnected in order to change the level of the tool box. The proposed devices do not address the many problems of containers discussed above including obstructing the rear view of the driver from the cab of the truck and the difficulty encountered by a user when attempting to access the top side of a tool box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,319, issued May 30, 2000 to O""Brien discloses a shelving and storage system for a cargo box of a pickup truck. U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,083, issued Jul. 24, 2001 to Pavlick et al. discloses an add-on tool box transport for use with a truck bed. Both the O""Brien and Pavlick devices do not permit quick and easy vertical positioning of the container, do not permit access to the container from the side of the truck, and obstruct the view of the driver from the cab of the truck.
Other devices for vertical positioning include U.S. Pat. No. 1,920,825, issued Aug. 1, 1933 to L. K. Williams (page storage cabinet); U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,510, issued Jan. 2, 1968 to E. P. McDermott (filing cabinet elevator); U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,766, issued Feb. 17, 1976 to Herbolsheimer et al. (adjustable typewriter platform mechanism); U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,932, issued Sep. 8, 1998 to Yanagisawa (drive system); U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,908, issued Sep. 22, 1998 to Catta et al. (lifting means for work stations); U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,615, issued Jul. 20, 1999 to McGarrah (hanging storage box for truck beds); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,046, issued Jan. 4, 2000 to Neeser (storage box assembly for pickup trucks).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle. In particular, the present invention is a device for positioning a tool box in a truck bed of a truck. The device provides for the positioning of the container in a normal transport position and in a raised or access position. In the normal transport position, the user can access the container from a top lid. In the raised or access position, the user can access the container from ground level and from both sides of the vehicle. Also, the user can still put long load cargo into the vehicle.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle has a threaded rod attached to a bottom surface of the cargo space, a gear which is in rotating engagement with the threaded rod, a bearing, a flange, and a nut. The nut is attached to the threaded rod, and the container is attached to the flange with a connector. The container further has a tube with an inner surface, where the tube receives the threaded rod, and the nut is in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the tube. When the gear is rotated in a first direction, the container is raised inside the cargo space of the vehicle. When the gear is rotated in a second direction, the container is lowered.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a tool box in a truck bed of a truck.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which can be positioned into a normal transport position which allows a user to access the container from the top side of the container.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which can be positioned into a raised or access position which allows a user to access to the container from ground level and from both sides of the vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which can be positioned into a raised or access position which allows a user to place long load cargo into the cargo space underneath the container.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle with a threaded rod and a gear in threaded and rotating engagement with the threaded rod.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which is powered by the vehicle electrical system.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which is powered by a self-contained means.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which is powered by a rechargeable battery.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which includes a rechargeable battery charger.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle which includes a needle bearing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for positioning a container in a cargo space of a vehicle with a guard for preventing inadvertent contact with the device including the hands and fingers of a user, cargo being hauled in the truck, dirt, and water.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.